Most everyone freaked out a little when the Sci-Fi Channel switched over to the new name “SyFy.” This was largely because succinct, widely recognized one-syllable abbreviations shouldn’t be replaced with annoying nonsense words pronounced the same way.
 
People were also concerned that it was more than a simple hipification of the name. Calling your content “SyFy” would mean nobody can whine when you start airing things with a more subdued science fiction element. Because Sci-Fi and SyFy are different things – one of which you own and can therefore define as you see fit.
 
I wasn’t bothered too much by the latter implications, mostly because I’m not a huge science fiction guy. Though some would prefer if the niche were still catered to in a more clearly defined fashion. Personally, I just hate corporate identities with invented too-cool-for-school phrasings. These normally sting like hell upon introduction, but like most horrible things in life, one gets used to them after a while and eventually they go unnoticed. Like the revision of another channel I watch regularly:
 
 
What used to be a station dedicated to hardcore gay porn is now my number one stop for sports. Their small audience of folks seeking hot man-on-man action has grown into a worldwide army of people tuning in for content with a slightly smaller homosexual bent. Which I guess if proof positive that a slight refitting of a channel’s image can work wonders. Who knew? Or should I say, Hu Nu? Wait, no, that’s really goddamn annoying.